Spring construction



A. H. LUDWIG 2,375,667

SPRING CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 9, 1942 ILLUJL HIHII Ill. llllllu 'IIIHII. I I.

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f Patented May. 8, 1945 H UNITED STAT E PATENT OWE spring constructions which are adapted to opcrate at variable speeds by the adjustment of spring pressure means forming part thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of this type carrying means bythe adjustment of which its speed maybe regulated be- I tween very slow and very fast limits, depending upon the particular purpose for which it is. to be employed; Y a l A] further object of the invention is the provision of a device for securing spring action by the elimination of ordinarysprings and s the utilization instead of the material of which the members of thedevice 'arefmade;

Another object of the? invention is the provision 'of a novel spring construction of great simplicity and economy of structure. I

Other objects and advantages will appear from the description and the drawing forming parthereof.

In the embodiment of the invention shown herein, the device consists of a base to which are attached three spaced rods extending vertically therefrom, two of which are equipped with Detachably connected to these rods andmovably held thereby is a substantially archlike frame. The extremities of the upper part of the frame are connected by a horizontal bar forming its lower part, and said horizontal part at its center is offset and provided with a grooved bearing. The said archlike frame member is held in place on the said three vertical rods by positioning its horizontal'bar so that the two end rods willbear against it on one side and the central rod againstit on the other side.

Within the archlikeframe and mounted be tween the horizontal bar forming its lower part and its upper portion are two jackscrews.

On the adjustment of the jackscrews to the desired tension, the horizontal bar is bowed or depressed along the central 'rod at the bearing in contact therewith; andon the downward and forward actuation of the archlikeframe the said fram is caused to move at a substantially uniform speed until its upper partreaches a position slightly below theb earing on the offset portion of thehoriz ontal banwhenthro'ugh the pressure of the end rods in one direction and the pressure of thecenter rod in the opposite. direction co-operating with thebearing on the offset portion of the horizontal bar, which oiTset is now inclined upward, its action becomes one of slower speed, depending on th tension of the jackscrews. i

It is obvious that its upward motion or actuation inreverse will be thesame, the movement of the archlike frame member being substantially uniform until its part 5 reaches a position slightly above the bearing on the ofiset of the horizontal bar, when it will snap into vertical position or move more slowly to that position,

depending on the tension at which the jackscrews have been set.

In the drawing;

Figure 1 is a is a front view of my device; and

. Fig. 2 a perspectivethereof.

Similar letters of reference refer v to corresponding parts. I 1 f Referring to thedrawingthe-base member of the device is designated I Fixedly attached to the base are three rods spaced from eachother, the central one of'which is marked 2, the end rods being indicated by 3. Each of rods 3 is providednear its'upper free end witha flanged grooved bearing 4.

Detachably' and inovably mounted on these rods is an archlike frame member consisting of an uppercurvedpart 5;and a horizontal bar 6 connecting the extremities of said curved part.

The center of thebar 6 is ofiset at 1, and said offset provided with a grooved-bearing 8.

This frame memberis mounted on rods 2 and 3 by placing the horizontal bar fi in contact with the rear of the groovedbearings 4 on rods 3, asshown in Fig. 1, and thebearing B on offset Tin contactwith central rod 2, so that rod 2 will be positionedon the side of the bar 6 opposite the side against which rods 3bear.

Arranged in spaced relation in the frame member between its bar 6 and upper part 5 are two jackscrews 9. These areso positioned on bar 6 that the upper end of each contacts the it. provides means for take-up due to the wear on the bearings and fatigue in the spring ten sion rods caused" by long use;

Certainmodifications orichanges may be made.

in the construction described without departing from the invention and the scope of theclaims appended hereto. The central rod 2, for instance,

either a quickened snappy spring motion or could beextended back of the bracing member ing 8 maybe varied to meet special requirements.

Aside from th base, my device is preferably made of spring steel and the part adjacent its connection to horizontal bar 6 shouldloe .graduated to provide a certain amount of give on the depression of said bar to avoid possible breakage at the point of connection.

The device may be used in any type of apparatus in a part of which it is required to produce an intermittent or make-and-break action and in which it is necessary that such device hav means for adjusting it tovariable speeds to meet the particular requirements of the apparatus in which it is employed.

Among other uses, it is adapted to be employed as a very simple attachment for opening and closing a door and holding the door open or closed without the use of additional means. In such use the base I, or its equivalent, with its three rods 2 and 3, is attached to the frame of the door on the hinge side thereof. The other part of the device, the arch 5 or its equivalent, is fastened to the door in any suitable way, so that it moves with and becomes part of the door in the same way as does one of the leaves of a hinge. It will be obvious that on opening of the door substantially half-way the pressure of the member 5, due to the adjustment of the jack screws, will cause the door to swing completely open and remain so without the use of a door check as is now necessary with the ordinary door closer. When it is desired to close the door the mounted on its other part by placing said bar in the bearings on the two rods of the firstmentioned part so that the third rod will be on the side of the bar'opposite the side against which th two spring rods bear, and will seat in the offset. bearing on said bar, said bar adapted to respond to pressure exerted by tension means, said tension means consisting of jackscrews located between opposite parts of the member of which the said bar forms a part.

3. In a spring structure, in combination, a base, a plurality of resilient rods extending therefrom, two of said rods provided with bearings, a member having parts spaced from each other, one part of which comprises a resilient reverse action takes place, that is, on the moveber having a bar provided with an offset, and a grooved bearing insaid ofiset, a rod in the first part adapted to seat against said offset bearing, the other rods having bearings adapted to contact the bar on its side opposite the side against which the rod in the offset bears, and screw means for exerting tension on said bar located between opposite parts of the member of which it forms a part.

2. The combination in a spring structure of the class described of two parts adjustable to each other, one part comprising a base and three rods attached to said base, two of the rods having grooved bearings, the other part comprising a member including a bar with an offset portion having a grooved bearing therein, one part of the spring structure adapted to be movably bar having an ofiset portion, a bearing on said offset, the said member having spaced parts adapted to be movably mounted on said resilient rods by means of the bearings on the said offset and the said resilient rods, and screw means between the opposite parts of said member having spaced parts adapted to exert tension on the resilient bar forming part thereof.

4. In a spring structure, in combination, a base, a plurality of resilient rods extending therefrom, two of said rods having grooved bearings, a member one part of which comprises a resilient bar, said bar having an offset portion, a grooved bearing on said offset, screw means mounted between said resilient bar and the other part of the member of which it forms apart, said lastmentioned member adapted to be held in position by the said'grooved bearings, and, on the actuation of the device, to respond to the tensioning of the said resilient bar by the said screw means.

5. In a device of the class described, in combination with three vertical spring steel rods and a base to which they are fixed, two of said rods having grooved bearings thereon, of a member movably mounted on said rods, said mem ber having a spring steel bar provided with an offset, and a bearing on said offset, and two jackscrews being mounted between said bar and the other part of the member of which thesaid bar forms a part, the said member mountedin position by placing its said bar in the bearing on said oiTset and the bearings on the other two rods, said member adapted to respond to the ten 'sioning of the said bar by the said jackscrews.

6. In a spring structure, in combination, a base, three rods fixed thereto, two of the rods having grooved bearings near their free ends, a substantially archlike member, two jackscrews mounted therein, its lower part provided with an offset, a grooved bearing in said offset, said archlike member being movablyv mounted on said three rods by positioning its lower part in said grooved bearings, and adapted to be responsive to its tensioning by said jackscrews.

7. In a spring structure, in combination, a base, a plurality of rods fixed thereto, two of the rods having grooved bearings near their free ends, a member having jack screws mounted therein and provided with an offset, a grooved bearing in said offset, a third rod seated in said bearing near its freeend, said member being adapted to co-operate with said rods and adapted to be responsive to its tensioning by said jack screws, substantially as described.

ANDREW .I-I. LUDWIG. 

